Bolton Wanderers 1 Arsenal 3: NICKLAS BENDTNER has not enjoyed the steepest of career trajectories.
Sent off in his first league start against Everton last December, he earned further notoriety by scoring an own-goal in the League Cup game with Spurs and for good measure was seen to be headbutted by his team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor in the same match, none of which has made him quite his ascetic manager's cup of tea.
That he has begun only nine Premier League games for Arsenal tells its own story, yet the young Danish striker's brand of cocky aggression could be the missing ingredient the Gunners need if their title assault is not to fizzle out into another season of what might have been.
Arsenal have frequently been accused of being a soft touch for Bolton who, such is their commitment, have had six players sent off in their games against Arsene Wenger's side. But with Bendtner giving a fearless display of the centre-forward's art while ably supported by a livewire midfield, the Gunners had the muscle to deal with Bolton's hustle.
Wenger was delighted with his team's application, insisting not only that youth would be no hindrance to their pursuit of honours but that experience could be an obstacle in itself. "When you are 19 you are better at 20. When are 30 you are worse at 31, it's as simple as that," he said, with tongue not entirely removed from cheek.
"Look at my team today," he added. "Denilson is 20, (Cesc) Fabregas is 21, (Alexandre) Song is 21, (Theo) Walcott is 19, Bendtner is 20. When you have players of that age and can still fight for the championship then it bodes well. You hope the year after they will be even better.
"What I like about this team is that they have a good attitude and share the same vision and express themselves well. We want to win first of all but, if it's possible, we want to win with style. We are a lot more robust than people think we are, we have shown that."
He was echoed by Fabregas who said: "We showed great character and if you are going to win the league you have to win these games. We don't want to stop here. We want to keep going."
Nevertheless, the feeling persists that Arsenal still lack the sort of tough-tackling holding player that would put some bite into their midfield. Come the tiring pitches of winter, there is a real danger that their vibrant passing game will not be enough to see them through. Presumably Wenger suspects the same, which would explain why he was considering moves for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry or Liverpool's Xabi Alonso over the summer.
In the absence of such, it was left to Bendtner to provide the bite. Having been stung into action by Kevin Davies' early headed goal, Arsenal gave notice of their intent when Bendtner sent through Adebayor who hit the post when he should have scored. Song then headed against the other post before Arsenal took the lead when Bendtner's flick was eased on by Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue bagged his first league goal.
Bendtner immediately slid in a second from Denilson's cross and Bolton were lucky not to concede more as Arsenal staged an exhibition match around the edge of their penalty area: "a cakewalk," was how the Bolton manager, Gary Megson, described it. The home side fought back in the second half and were perhaps unlucky to concede a third at the end when the substitute Theo Walcott left six players floundering for Adebayor to set up Denilson, but they could hardly argue, with Arsenal enjoying 71 per cent of possession.
It was a pity Setanta implied a 45th-minute challenge from Davies that ended Gael Clichy's interest had been anything other than robust. An X-ray revealed Clichy had a bruised shin. Perhaps Wenger might want to consider why his full-back came out worse off in a tackle with a striker.
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